Test probe for semiconductor package

ABSTRACT

An embodiment may comprise a test probe to measure electrical properties of a semiconductor package having ball-shaped terminals. The probe may include a signal tip and a ground tip. The signal tip may have a spherical lower surface allowing good contact with a ball-shaped signal terminal. The ground tip may be extended from a lower end of a ground barrel that encloses the signal tip. The ground tip may move independent of the signal tip by means of a barrel stopper and a spring. Thus, the probe can be used regardless of the size of and the distance between the package terminals.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.§119 from Korean Patent Application No. 2004-46585, which was filed inthe Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jun. 22, 2004, the contentsof which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the present invention may relate to a test probe for asemiconductor package and, also to a test probe that may test electricalproperties of a semiconductor package having ball-shaped input/outputterminals.

Semiconductor devices are electronics that are typically packaged insemiconductor packages. The semiconductor package not only protects thesemiconductor device from environmental conditions, but also providesinterconnects for the semiconductor device to communicate with externalhardware. Since a semiconductor device communicates throughsemiconductor package interconnects, the electrical properties of thesemiconductor package greatly influence the operation of thesemiconductor device. This influence is especially true for high-speeddevices. Therefore, determination of semiconductor package electricalproperties is relevant to managing semiconductor device performance.Ideally, a semiconductor package does not alter signal or power levelsfor a semiconductor device. In practice, the package may distort or losesignals or power for the device. This distortion and loss may be causedby various characteristics of the package, such as structure oftransmitting lines, package element characteristics, etc. The factorsthat cause the distortion and loss are often referred to as parasiticparameters. Parasitic parameters may be represented by variousquantitative models. Example models include an RLC circuit model, afrequency response model, and an impedance profile model.

Conventionally, probes with needle-shaped tips have been used todetermine electrical properties and consequent parasitic parameters. Aneedle-shaped probe tip may touch terminals of a package, for examplepackage pins, and form an electrical connection between the probe andpackage. Typical probes are GS and GSG probes, ground signal tips andground signal ground tips, respectively, and the tips are generallyarranged at fixed distances from each other. Package terminals spacingmay vary considerably from package to package, and may not easily bemeasured by probes with fixed distances between measurement tips.

Currently, ball grid array (BGA) packages are widely used. A BGA packagehas an array of solder balls as input/output terminals, which isdistributed over a package surface. The surface-distributed terminalsreduce electrical signal propagation paths within the package andimprove electrical and thermal properties. However, ball-shapedterminals may lose a good contact with the needle-shaped probe tips.Therefore, a conventional probe may often incorrectly measure theelectrical properties of the package.

SUMMARY

An embodiment may comprise a test probe for a semiconductor packagecomprising a first tip having a concave lower surface and configured tomeet a first terminal, and a second tip adjacent to the first tip, thesecond tip configured to meet a second terminal. The present embodimentmay further comprise the concave lower surface being configured to meeta ball shaped signal terminal and the ground tip is configured to meet aball shaped ground terminal. Additionally, the present embodiment mayfurther comprise the concave lower surface being spherical.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a test probe in accordance with anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views showing two working states ofthe test probe shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3A to 3E are cross-sectional views showing various cases in whichthe test probe shown in FIG. 1 can be applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. This inventionmay, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not beconstrued as limited to the disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosedembodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough andcomplete, and the claims will convey the scope of the invention to thoseskilled in the art.

In this disclosure, well-known structures and processes are notdescribed or illustrated in detail to avoid obscuring the presentdisclosure. Furthermore, the figures are not drawn to scale in thedrawings. Rather, for simplicity and clarity of illustration, thedimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated relative to otherelements. Like reference numerals are used for like and correspondingparts of the various drawings.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a test probe 10 in accordance withan exemplary embodiment. The probe 10 may include a signal tip 20 and aground tip 30. The signal tip 20 may have concave lower surface, forexample spherical lower surface 22, and may be enclosed with aninsulating body such as cylindrical insulating body 40. Ground tip 30,adjacent to signal tip 20, may extend from a lower end of a groundbarrel 50. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the ground tip 30extends horizontally from the ground barrel 50. In an embodiment, theground tip 30 may have a planar surface, and the ground barrel 50 mayhave a cylindrical form with a partially vacant inside and open ends. Inan embodiment, the signal tip 20 and the insulating body 40 may belocated inside the ground barrel 50, forming a coaxial structure.Insulating body 40 may electrically isolate signal tip 20 from groundbarrel 50.

The probe 10 may include a probe head 60. In an embodiment, the probehead 60 may have a top head 62 and a bottom head 64 which may be spacedapart from each other. In the present embodiment, the insulating body 40may penetrate the top and bottom heads 62 and 64 and then protrudedownward from the bottom head 64. The insulating body 40 may be fixedlyjoined to the top head 62. The ground barrel 50 may penetrate the bottomhead 64 and then protrude downward from the bottom head 64. Groundbarrel 50 may have a barrel stopper 52 that horizontally extends fromthe ground barrel 50 and may be between the top and bottom heads 62 and64. A spring 70 may be provided between the top head 62 and the barrelstopper 52.

In the present embodiment, the ground barrel 50 may be pushed downwardby the spring 70 until the barrel stopper 52 meets the bottom head 64.When the barrel stopper 52 meets the bottom head 64, the ground tip 30located at the lower end of the ground barrel 50 is located below thelower surface 22 of the signal tip 30. In the present embodiment, theupper end of the ground barrel 50 may be separated from the top head 62to allow movement of the ground barrel 50. So, the ground barrel 50 canbe pushed toward top head 62, and therefore compress spring 70.

In the present embodiment, the signal tip 20 may be fixed to the probehead 60 through the insulating body 40, yet still allow the ground tip30 to move through the ground barrel 50 independent of the signal tip20.

In one embodiment, a measuring unit 80 may measure electrical propertiesof a package and may electrically couple to signal tip 20 through aconnection cable 82. In the present embodiment, the top head 62 may becoupled to a ground line of connection cable 82. In an embodiment, theground barrel 50 may electrically couple to the ground line through thespring 70 between the top head 62 and the barrel stopper 52.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, an embodiment probe 10 is illustrated intwo working states. In FIG. 2A the probe 10 is shown in an initialposition. A semiconductor package 90, in this example a BGA package, mayhave an array of terminals, such as solder balls, including a signalball 94 and a ground ball 96. In an embodiment, the terminals may bedistributed over a surface of a package substrate 92. Package 90 maycomprise other well known elements that are not necessary to understandthe present description, therefore their illustration and description isomitted. An embodiment may comprise a method of placing a concave tip ofa semiconductor package test probe to a signal terminal of thesemiconductor package, and placing a second tip of the test probe to aground terminal of the semiconductor package.

In an embodiment, the probe 10 may connect to a probe arm (not shown)that can move freely in all directions. This probe arm allows the probe10 to move to a signal ball 94 to be measured. The signal tip 20 may bepositioned above the signal ball 94 so the probe head 60 can move towardthe semiconductor package 90, in particular, probe head 60 can movetoward signal ball 94. In the present embodiment, ground tip 30 maytouch ground ball 96 before the signal tip 20 reaches signal ball 94since ground tip 30 is below the signal tip 20.

In the present embodiment, the probe head 60 may descend while theground ball 96 stops the ground tip 30 from descending, as shown in FIG.2B. At a certain point, the ground barrel 40 will not be allowed to movethe spring 70 will be compressed and the signal tip 20 will be exposedfrom the ground barrel 40. In this embodiment, the lower surface 22 ofthe signal tip 20 may then contact signal ball 94. In the presentembodiment, the lower surface 22 of the signal tip 20 has a concaveshape approximating that of a sphere, therefore allowing a good contactbetween the signal tip 20 and the signal ball 94.

Probe 10 can be used regardless of package terminal size and spacing.That is, the probe may be configured to contact terminals with differentdistances between them. Additionally, even if the probe 10 isincorrectly aligned with the package terminals 94 and 96, it is possibleto keep a contact between the probe 10 and the terminals 94 and 96.FIGS. 3A to 3E illustrate various example applications for embodimentprobe 10.

Referring to FIG. 3A, probe 10 may be applied to a BGA package 90. Incomparison with FIG. 3A, the package 90 in FIG. 3B has package terminals94 and 96 spaced farther apart, and package 90 in FIG. 3C has tallerpackage terminals 94 and 96. As seen from these examples, probe 10 maybe used with various packages having different package terminalgeometries.

Furthermore, FIG. 3D illustrates package terminals 94 and 96 withdifferent heights h1 and h2. Package terminals may be formed withdifferent heights due to variations in process conditions, etc. In thepresent example, probe 10 can perform a reliable measurement since thesignal tip 20 and the ground tip 30 may operate independently.

In yet another example, FIG. 3E illustrates a probe 10 incorrectlyaligned with package terminals 94 and 96. In this case, a signal tip 20with a lower surface 22 can still perform an effective measurement.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may bemade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

1. A test probe for a semiconductor package comprising: a first tiphaving a concave lower surface and configured to meet a first terminal;and a second tip adjacent to the first tip, the second tip configured tomeet a second terminal.
 2. The test probe of claim 1, wherein theconcave lower surface is configured to meet a ball shaped signalterminal and the ground tip is configured to meet a ball shaped groundterminal.
 3. The test probe of claim 1, wherein the concave lowersurface is spherical.
 4. The test probe of claim 1, wherein the firsttip is a signal tip configured to meet a signal terminal and the secondtip is a ground tip configured to meet a ground terminal.
 5. The testprobe of claim 4, further comprising a ground barrel having acylindrical form, the ground tip being connected to a lower end of theground barrel, and the signal tip being located inside the groundbarrel.
 6. The test probe of claim 5, wherein the ground tip is extendedfrom the lower end of the ground barrel.
 7. The test probe of claim 5,further comprising an insulating body enclosing the signal tip andlocated inside the ground barrel to electrically isolate the signal tipfrom the ground barrel.
 8. The test probe of claim 5, furthercomprising: a probe head having a top head and a bottom head spacedapart from each other; a barrel stopper extended from the ground barreland placed between the top and bottom heads; and a spring between thetop head and the barrel stopper.
 9. The test probe of claim 8, whereinthe insulating body penetrates the top and bottom heads and wherein theinsulating body is fixed to the top head and protrudes beyond the bottomhead.
 10. The test probe of claim 8, wherein the ground barrelpenetrates the bottom head and protrudes beyond the bottom head.
 11. Atest probe for a semiconductor package comprising: a signal tip having alower surface and configured to meet a signal terminal; and a planarground tip adjacent to the signal tip, the planar ground tip configuredto meet a ground terminal.
 12. The test probe of claim 11, wherein thelower surface of the signal tip has a spherical shape.
 13. The testprobe of claim 11, further comprising a cylindrical ground barrel, theground tip being extended from a lower end of the ground barrel, and thesignal tip being located inside the ground barrel.
 14. The test probe ofclaim 13, further comprising an insulating body enclosing the signal tipand located inside the ground barrel, the insulating body toelectrically isolate the signal tip from the ground barrel.
 15. The testprobe of claim 13, further comprising a probe head having a top head anda bottom head spaced apart from each other; a barrel stopper extendedfrom the ground barrel and placed between the top and bottom heads; anda spring between the top head and the barrel stopper.
 16. The test probeof claim 15, wherein the insulating body penetrates the top and bottomheads and wherein the insulating body is fixed to the top head andprotrudes beyond the bottom head.
 17. The test probe of claim 15,wherein the ground barrel penetrates the bottom head and protrudesbeyond the bottom head.
 18. A method comprising: placing a concave tipof a semiconductor package test probe to a signal terminal of thesemiconductor package; and placing a second tip of the test probe to aground terminal of the semiconductor package.
 19. An apparatuscomprising: a first means for connecting to a first terminal, the firstmeans to connect to terminals of different sizes; and a second means forconnecting to a second terminal a distance from the first terminal,wherein the second means is able to connect to terminals of differentdistances from the first terminal.